Nail-driving apparatus



(No Mod'el.)

T. IOWLER.

NAIL DRIVING APPARATUS..

Patented J'u'ly 20, 1886.

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Zyzzessai INIIIIIII( UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.,

THADDEUS FOWLER, OF SHELTON, ASSIGNOR OF ONEIIALF TO THOMAS B.

DE FOREST, Y OF BIRMINGHAM, CONNECTICUT.

NAlL-DRIVING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 345,680, dated July 20,1886.

Application filed May 8, 1886. Sel-inl No. l\,513. (No mrdcl.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THADDEUs FowLnR, a citizen of the United States,residing at Shelton, in the county of Fairfield and State of 5.Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Nail-Driving Machines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full,clear, and exact description ofthe invention, such as will enable othersskilled in ro the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.My invention relates to certain new and useful improvementsinnail-driving machines,but is more especially intended to furnish adevice I for use in lathing,shingling,and the1ike,which may be used inthe same manner as an ordinary hammer, but which shall carry andproperly drive in rotation a coil of nails of the character set forth ina certain application for 2o Letters Patent bearing Serial No. 187,982,and filed by me the 8th day of January, 1886; and with these ends inview my invention consists inthe details of construction and combinationof elements hereinafter fully explained, and then recited in the claims.f

In order that those skilled in the art to which my invention appertainsmay fully understand its construction and operation, I will describe thesame in detail, referring by letter to the 3o accompanyingdrawings,forming a part of this specification, and in whichh Figure 1 isa central longitudinal vertical section through my improved driver; Fig.2,a front elevation of the head thereof, and Fig.

3 a side elevation.

Similar letters denote like parts in all the gures of the drawings.

A is the handle, upon whose rear endtis se cured a case or magazine, B,provided with a o hub, C, around which a string of nails (lettered D) isadapted to be wound. The forward extremity of the series of nails is ledoutward through a way formed in the handle to the feeding and drivingmechanism, as will presently appear. The head E of the driver isrecessed from its forward extremity backward, and is secured to thehandle by plates F, which extend outward from the end of the latter andembrace the head, one upon either side there 5o of, and by a pin, G,passed through both plates` and head. The parts last aforesaid are sosecured together as to allow to the head a slight rocking movement uponthe pin. A small spiral spring, H, interposed between the head andhandle, keeps them in the relative position shown at Fig. l, except ashereinafter eX- plained.

I is a sliding tubular nose-piece, which lits within the recessed head,as shown at Fig. 1, and which is internally tapered toward its lowerend. Upon its inner face is secured a feed-spring, J.

K is' the driver, which is secured within the head vby the passage ofthe pin G through its upper extremity. At its lower end it is providedwith a wedge-shaped toe, which is in the same horizontal plane with theextremity of the head.

L is a loop upon the top edge of the tubular nose-piece, and M `is thefeed-lever pivoted at its heel within thehandle,and with its forwardextremity engaging with the loop. side of the head is suitably slottedfor the cntrance and proper movement of the lever. A push-rod, N, issecured to the feed-lever and extends upward through the handle. At itsupper end the head is made in two pieces, as seen at Fig. 2, andaperforatedhatchet-blade, O, is secured between the pieces by bolts orscrews I?, passed therethrough.

The operation of my improvement is as fol lows: When the string of nailshas been led outward through the handle and downward within the head,its position is as clearly appears at Fig. lk-that is, with theextremity of the driver, and also the end of the feed-spring restingupon the head ofthe bottom nail. The driver is operated by grasping thehandle as an ordinary. hammer and striking therewith upon the spot whereit is desired to drive the nail. The impact upon the substance intowhich the nail is to be driven of the sliding nose-piece, forces thelatter backward into the recess, andthe driver, descending with thehead, drives the nail. The tapered interior of the nose-piece forces thenail against the wedge-point of the driver, whereby the driven nail issevered from the one next above. The

nose-piece is now completely within its recess, and. if the nail be notheaded down it may be driven home, as with the ordinary hammer, by suchfurther blows from the driver as may The rear be found necessary. \Vhenthe nose-piece is forced back within the head at the time the nail isdriven, the feed-spring is carried Aback with it and engages with thehead of the nail next above the one driven. To feed the string of nailsforward preparatory to the driving of the next nail, pressure is appliedby the operator te the p ush-bar, whiclnthrou gh the medium ol' thepivotcd lever, throws the sliding nosepiece out of its recess to theposition shown at Fig. 1, when the string is ad vanced downward one nailby the downward movement of the feed-spring, which is in engagement withthenail-head, and is carried by the nosepieee. The rocking oftheheadupon its pivotal pointagainst the action ofthe spiral spring obviatesany tendency to bending the nail in process of driving, which mightoccur from a blow otherwise than square with the end of the nose.

By the use of my improvement the nails con tained therein may be fed anddriven as rapidly as blows can be accurately struck therewith.

In addition to its rapidity of action, the machine is entirely portableand exceedingly convenient, since it is operated after the manner of anordinary hammer.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a headhaving therein a sliding and internally'tapercd nose-piece, a toepointeddriver stationary as to the head and secured within the same, a handlepivotally secured to the head, and provided with a guideway for thenails, a case secured to the handle for containing the coil, afeedspring attached to the nose, and a feed-lever whose forwardextremity engages with the sliding nose-piece, and is adapted to throwthe same out of its recess in the head, substantially as set forth.

2. rlhe combination, with the recessed head having the slidingnose-piece arranged thercin,oi`the driver secured within the head andextending downward within the nose-piece, the handle pivoted to theheadand having the ease attached thereto, and the feed-lever pivotcd to thehandle,and whereby the outward movement of the nose-piece isaccomplished, snb stantiall y as specified.

3. The combination,` with the driving and feeding elements arranged asdescribed, of the handle pivotcd to the head and provided with a case,wherein the nails are contained, all arranged as set forth, and for thepurpose specified.

4. A nail-driving machine consisting,essen tially, of a recessed headhaving a driver and a sliding nosevpicce arranged therein, afeeding-lever for the actuation of the nose-piece, a handle secured atright angles to the head, whereby the device may be swung, and a casefor the nails sccuredupon the handle, all arranged as described and forthe purpose set forth.

5. The combination, with the head divided at its rear end, and providedwith a nailde livery and nail-feeding device, of the removablehatchet-blade secured therein by screws or their equivalent passedthrough both head and blade, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereofI ailix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

THADDEUS FOWLER.

\Vitnesses:

S. II. Hummm), T. NV. SMITH, Jr.

